Ginny Hall's Mystery Place

Historian Ginny Hall examines well known and lesser-known sites in Walworth County for her Mystery Place series.

Terry Mayer

The Wiswell Center replaced the old Stock Pavilion at the Walworth County Fairgrounds. It's where most of the open class animals are judged during the fair. Terry Mayer photo

Ginny Hall

This is one of the oldest buildings on the Walworth County Fairgrounds. Currently it is the home of the fiar board treasurer.

Ginny Hall

This is a familiar sight for many county residents who visit the Walworth County Fair each year. This relatively new sign is located at the intersection of Wisconsin Highway 11 and Jackson and Fair streets on the east side of Elkhorn.

The Leedle farm on County Highway B in the town of Bloomfield has been in the family for more than six decades.

Ginny Hall

Now a private home, this building began its life as a one-room schoolhouse. Ginny Hall photo

Ginny Hall

The Schmaling family's original barn, built in 1909, caught fire and burned to the ground in 2010. It was replaced with this modern barn.

Ginny Hall

Although the sign says Chaney Tire Service, this Darien building originally processed milk.

Ginny Hall

The Fincutter farm features the "Blazing Star" barn quilt on this old barn.

Ginny Hall

In 2007, VIP Services Inc. moved into this buildng, which allows it to provide employment and services to more clients and customers.

Ginny Hall

The Koehl family farm will reach century status in a couple of years.

Ginny Hall

This Walworth storefront has had more lives than a cat.

Ginny Hall

This barn was restored after Frank and Pat Eames purchased the property in 1972.

Ginny Hall

Vienna once had a hotel/tavern at this corner, located on the east end of the county.

Ginny Hall

The business at W6406 County Highway A in Sugar Creek Township is still known by many as Millard Fee Mill. The first feed mill in Millard was built in the early 1920s.

Ginny Hall

The wood barn on the Schuler and Rita Case farm was built around the 1890s, using round pegs to hold it together.

Ginny Hall

Commercial bank of Whitewater, with its distinctive round shape, opened in 1975.

Ginny Hall

The intersection at Wisconsin highways 120 and 36 is at the entrance to Springfield at the northeast corner of Walworth County.

Ginny Hall

The Merwin farm in the town of Linn features a barn quilt, "Patriotic Heart."

Ginny Hall

The town hall of Darien Township was built in 1997, but the township dates back to 1842 and the arrival of Christopher Chesebro and Elijan Belding.

Terry Mayer

It's not difficult for passersby to see this specially painted barn on the Larry and Judy Vance farm, with its barn quilt and large mural.

Ginny Hall

Delavan Christian School has 103 students enrolled in preschool through eighth grade.

Ginny Hall

A barn quilt brightens up the remodeled barn on the Schiffleger farm in the town of LaFayette.

Ginny Hall

Horticultural Hall, built in 1911, was home to many garden shows over the decades.

Ginny Hall

The Merry Water Farm has stayed in each owner's family through several generations.

Ginny Hall

Heart Prairie is located along County Highway O.

Ginny Hall

The barn on the Kleist farm has three levels and was built in the 1850s.

Ginny Hall

This house once was the Troy Lakes School House. The one-room schoolhouse was built in 1869, replacing an older building. It is now a private residence.

Ginny Hall

The area at Territorial Road and County Highway P was once the thriving community of Lyman.

Ginny Hall

The "Irish Chain" quilt, along with the farm's name and date, make this barn easy to identify.

Ginny Hall

The current Williams Bay municipal hall is located near the field house at Lions Park.

Ginny Hall

These two beautiful barns are part of the Weber property in Williams Bay. Originally, the property was owned by the founder of Williams Bay.

Ginny Hall

Hiram Husten bought the land surrounding the Troy Lakes Cemetery in 1898. Husten family members are buried in the cemetery.

Ginny Hall

The Troy Lakes Cemetery was established in 1848.

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In the 1950s, the east end of this barn was destroyed by a tornado. The farm currently is owned by John and Tina Erickson.

Ginny Hall

You can learn plenty about Duncan Cameron from this side of his tombstone, but there's even more on the back. The tombstone, along with that of Cameron's father, is located in Little Prairie Cemetery. Little Prairie is on Wisconsin Highway 67,in the town of Troy, almost to the Waukesha County line. Ginny Hall photo

Ginny Hall

The Cedar Hedge Farm, with its distinctive "Sunflower" barn quilt, is now owned by the Tober family. Ginny Hall photo.

Ginny Hall

Millard is located at the intersection of County highways A and O. Ginny Hall photo

Ginny Hall

Paul and Sylvia Baker have bred polled Hereford cattle for more than 40 years.

Ginny Hall

The Delavan Arboretum is situated on land donated by Ben and Doris Dibble in 1962.

Ginny Hall

The Thelen Family Farm has a barn that dates back more than a century.

Ginny Hall

The Flowerside Inn is a private residence, built in 1898.

Ginny Hall

The Wheelock farm was once part of Hollister's Corners.

Ginny Hall

Perhaps the best view of The House in the Woods is from a boat on Geneva Lake.

Ginny Hall

Holiday Home was established in 1897 as a camp for children.

Ginny Hall

The Kauer family purchased this Walworth farm in 1939 and that family name continues to be associated with the farm to this day.

Ginny Hall

The Pallotti Retreat Center is now used by a variety of groups and may be rented out for private events, such as weddings.